THE PAINTED PERFECTION OF MAXFIELD PARRISH
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Early on in the Unsung Heroes series I featured American illustrator Maxfield Parrish. But in truth he's not all that unsung, and in the USA in particular he is considered one of the all time greats, with good reason.
So I hope that this more detailed examination of his work will make amends for that earlier error of judgement.
This was so enjoyable. I'm from the hippie generation that "discovered" Parrish in the 60's and I've loved him ever since.
Yes, same. I had his posters on the wall. They envisioned an idealised past as well as an ideal future..
Hello and me too. 1969, my first year at art school.Now I remember it better than I do what happened yesterday...
@@petebeard Ha! I know that feeling!
Same here! And then he became unfashionable…perhaps the world will rediscover him!
Parrish, Rackham, and Dulac. Found them in an illustration book years ago, loved them ever since.
I once heard Parrish described as "The most famous artist you've never heard of". Thanks!
Hello again and thanks for the comment. I suppose it's the real justification of the channel, but I'm always amazed by how many viewers haven't heard of some of these 20th century giants.
Thank you for this! I found Parrish after coming home from all the chaos of Viet Nam! I could sit and look at his art for hrs. It helped as much as anything could. No, It could transport me to another place and time!
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I can't imagine the hell of combat in that war, but I can see how the beauty of Parrish's work would at least help to compensate for that experience.
Welcome home.
Maxfield Parrish has been my favorite artist since I was 16. I will be 65 this year. I own quite a few original prints from the 1920s done by the House Of Art NY. My second favorite is Louis Comfort Tiffany. I love art glass, I have an affinity for it. My sister says I'm a magpie because of my love for "shiny" objects.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. I've admired his work for an alarming half century now and it never gets stale.
Have you seen the collaborative mural made by Parrish and Tiffany in Philadelphia? It is virtually unknown here . I have visited it perhaps three times in my 42 year residency here in Philadelphia, but even I sort of 'forget' about it, and as write this I wonder why I have visited it so infrequently. Partly this is because of its odd location, in the lobby of a rarely-visited building (not a museum where it would be much more broadly seen).
@@charlescushing1 I wasn't aware they worked together on a piece. That collaboration is like a dream come true. It must be spectacular.
@@Fuphyter it is very beautiful and is shown in the video above briefly and I am sure you can find it online. It was purchased by The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for a low price of about 3 million about ten years ago, but remains in the lobby of the Curtis Building on Washington Square in Philadelphia. Few people visit it. I think at some point it will likely be transferred to the museum where it would get thousands of times more exposure.
@@charlescushing1 thank you for letting me know it exists. I looked it up and it's breathtaking. I saw a Tiffany panel in Corning NY. I looked at it for so long, my (then) husband got annoyed. I would look at this for hours. I took classes in stained glass and made suncatchers for a while.
Completely engrossing and captivating from beginning to end. Maxfield Parrish was such a superb artist, illustrator, his use of vibrant colors is unparalleled.
Hello and thanks for your glowing report for the video.
"Daybreak" is currently hanging on my bedroom wall . It is an original print with the original frame. Thankfully it has been a cherished heirloom from my grandparents home. Lovely video.
Hello and thanks for the comment. I must say I have been surprised by how many viewers also have his work on their walls. Nice to know his appeal endures.
I too, have an original print and original framed Daybreak hanging on my wall at home. In the living room. I have been drawn to Parrish's work since I first laid eyes on it and have quite a few of his original prints and frames. Their beauty brings me joy. Bought most of them on eBay ;-)
I also have an original print of Daybreak hanging above our piano. It has influenced my playing.
Haha I have Daybreak on my wall just above my computer monitor. It's a beautiful lithograph. So I absolutely had to click the link =)
These paintings make me feel as though fantasy worlds are real. His use of color is absolutely masterful. I especially love how he used blues and oranges. This is stunning creative genius!
Hello and thanks for your comment. And yes perhaps more than anyone Parrish had the ability to seduce you into the worlds he created. Sad that it's only a fantasy.
@@petebeard No it's not! !!! It's as real as you want to believe it is!
Pete, thank you for all of your works. Because of you, I and sure many other people know all these amazing artists. Thank you and I wish you all the best ❤️
Hello and your appreciation of what I'm trying to do with the channel is a great encouragement to me.
Many thanks from me as well. It's good you remember them for the rest of us. Unsung heros. Be blessed.
Hello and your appreciation means a lot. Thanks.
One of my favorite artists. His works are as iconic as Mucha’s or Alma-Tadema’s. This was a very nice tribute to Parrish’s career. Thanks for sharing!
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment. Another viewer mentioned Alma Tadema and I must admit I'd never heard of him. Brilliant work.
@@petebeard … Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was considered to be a “fine artist” rather than an illustrator, but I love his glimpses into the ancient world. Since most of his paintings featured beautiful women in idyllic settings, one of my favorites of his works is “A Pyrrhic Dance” as it features Greek Warriors. It was Ridley Scott’s inspiration for the Gladiator scenes in the movie. I came across him by (happy) accident, years ago, when I was working in a bookstore and happened to be shelving books in the art section one night.
Parrish paintings has that holographic feeling where you can see the layers individually but somehow make the full picture more alive and 3D, cel animation has that feeling too so you could say that you can see his works move in your imagination. Great video as always.
Right you are. When you see one up close it's very 3D feeling. The glazing layers between colors was incredible.
Hello and many thanks for the comment. I've never seen one in the flesh, so to speak, and sadly probably never will.
Maxfield Parrish used an oil color glaze very carefully manipulated by meticulously stippling, carving, and scaping - then a thin coat of clear lacquer - hand-rubbed glass smooth with very fine pumice paste - then another oil color glaze worked the same way - followed by progressive clear coats and hand-polishing. The effect is nearly a Kodachrome 3-D effect (almost a lenticular effect) or a cell photograph using overlays and backlighting. He was a master modeler, photographer, machinist, toymaker, sculpturer, as well as an Artist! My father paints the same way - only he uses thin enamels and lacquer. Myself, I too am an Artist - only I work with acrylics and french powders and clear mediums or lacquer... once in a while egg tempera. I also use an airbrush with alcohol stains followed by a thin coat of lacquer. I know how to use oils, but I like acrylics for illustrating.
@@faerieSAALE Can this glazing effect be obtained with acrylics?
@@TheKafkianProcess Yes, but it's more complex and quite frankly it's more effective to do with traditional oil. Glazing with oil paints will save you a lot of headaches.
His works are by far my very favorite.. they touch something in my soul... The way he paints those glows of sunlight and the beauty in his every brush stroke and his fantastic classical Greek reminiscences.. perfection!
Hello and many thanks for your comment. It seems that judging by many viewers' reactions to this video Parrish strikes a chord and evokes a similar emotional reaction to your own. I have to laugh at most of what is called 'fantasy art' in contemporary times.
Oh gosh, one of my favourite artists! I feel so lucky to have seen his mural in the Regis Hotel.
Hello and I'm envious as Ive never seen an original Parrish- and probably never will.
Pete!!! This guy was brilliant. So hard to believe a man did these artworks in the mediums he did. Thank you, absolutely appreciate your effort in these episodes.👋👋👋
Hello again and thanks again for your ppreciation of this video, and your ongoing support of the channel.
I lived near The Oaks and not far from there, Saint Gaudens, in Cornish, NH. One day, saw JD Salinger pushing his cart out of KMart in Claremont and then drove past those two estates on way to work.
My mother collected Mayfield Parish , she loved him. I grew up with his prints all in our houses. I love him also. Thank you so much for this post, brought back many memories!
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of the video.
When I heard that a Maxfield Parish was at the Minneapolis Institute of Art I lost no time getting over there!
His posters light up any room. Thank you for presenting this.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciative comment.
I fairly certain that the production design of Rivendell, in the movie version of Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings", was heavily inspired by Maxfield Parrish.
Hello and I wasn't aware of this concept artist but now I've seen the work I see you have a strong case.
Perhaps Parrish was an inspiration and I would add that the Art Nouveau style in art, architecture, furniture, etc...was a stronger influence for LOTR.
It is totally appropriate for two of the greatest artists of the twentieth century to be teamed in common as you describe. Tolkien and Parrish fit like a hand in glove. Our time was fortunate for witnessing the work of those greats concurrently.
Totally. Parrish inspired the 60s/70s generation of illustrators like Jeff Jones, Michael Kaluta, and Barry Windsor-Smith, who were contemporaries of LOTR artist Alan Lee.
Especially The White Bird album cover artwork.
Parrish and Mucha have to be my two favorite artists. Thank you for the video!
Hello and thanks for your comment. They were both towering figures in the history of illustration and deserve our eternal gratitude.
Wow! Thank you so much for this fabulous introduction (to me, at least) to his work. The blues of his skies and seas are just sumptuous! Greatly appreciated.
Hello and I'm glad to have introduced you to his work.
That blue he developed on his own and is called Parrish blue. He created when he had TB.
What an amazing artist /illustrator. He is one of my all time faves . Excellent docu on the artist.
Hello again and thanks a lot for your apprecirion of this video - it seems to be pretty popular with many viewers.
One of my favs, thank-you again! Maxfield used oil paints in layers w/ varnish, so the light would go through the layers and bounce back for a look of incredible depth and jewel tones.
Hello again and thanks for the comment as ever. Im glad you enjoyed it.
Parrish would hand paint all of his canvases white before he’d even start on a new project. He’d even spend up to a week just preparing the canvases. His paints were called glazes, oil paint mixed with something, can’t remember what he used. And like you mentioned, the light would shine thru the glaze, bounce off the white background, and reflect back the color he was trying to achieve. Example, purple, depending on what color purple he wanted, he’d either start with Red or Blue, then paint over that with the other color.
Daybreak is suppose to have 11 different shades of white.
A large poster of "Daybreak" was the first new item I ever purchased to decorate my home in 1975.
Excellent choice!
I was gifted “contentment “ around the same time.
“Ecstasy “ was mine, in the same year! 💜💙💚
Your presentations are always a delight, this one particularly so. Thank you, Pete.
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciation.
I'm a longtime Parrish fan. Thanks for the great video about him.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment.
Thank you for making this video, and thanks to Mr Parrish for all the great joy and beauty he has given me through his artwork. When I look at his work, I am transported to “Oz”, a super-reality of incredible light and color, peace, love and magic.
Hello and thanks for the comment. Quite a few other viewers have expressed similar responses to the immersion into his world. Its easy to forget you're looking at a 2D image.
Wow! The things that you've missed in your own backyard. I live an hour away from Cornish, NH. I'll be planning a joy ride out soon to see the place for myself. I've also just discovered Saint Gaudens Historic park. We'll make a whole day of it. Also planning my trip to the American Museum of Illustration in Newport, RI to see their Maxfield Parrish collection. That's more of a 3 hour journey, but it will be well worth the time. Thanks for this awesome video and educating me about things just outside my door. :) You're the best Pete!
Hello again and many thanks for your comment. I'm deeply envious that you have such treasures on your doorstep, metaphorically speaking.
@@petebeard Speaking of which...The Lady Lever Gallery in Port Sunlight here on the wirral is eclectic to say the least...a few Pre Raphaelites..amongst others...
Hi again and I visited the gallery quite a few years back with a group of sullen and largely unappreciative students. But you have reminded me that it does indeed house some rather nice work and I'll put another visit (without students) on my to-do list.
His house burned in a fire but his studio still stands in Cornish.
Thanks again, Pete. I fell in love with Parrish in my teens, and was fortunate several decades later to visit the first exhibition of his works ever mounted, in Nashua, New Hampshire, in the '90s. The magic of that exhibition was palpable. Every canvas exhibited a level of painterly skill that boggled the mind, the landscapes in particular. I get goosebumps remembering. Would you consider a video devoted to just the landscapes? There were so few of them in this one.
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciation. Sadly I've never seen an original Parrish (or any of the American realists for that matter, and probably never will. Needless to say I envy you the experience. Regarding the landscapes I'd consider that outside the remit of the channel. For me it's all about the illustration. I have nothing against art (other than abstract expressionism and a few others) and in the case of Mucha, Parrish and quite a few othes it would be churlish to ignore the art, but equally I do want to shine more light on the commercial work.
Excellent presentation, Mr. Beard! I learned a lot about the man from this. Thank you very much for this.
I've been a life-long lover of Parrish and I suppose I'm also from the hippie generation of southern California where we re-discovered him and eagerly posted many of his posters on our walls, which I still do today.
I discovered you only a month or two ago, but I wanted to tell you how important, informative and beautiful your videos are. I'm an artist myself and teach art and I now recommend your videos to many of my students. Thank you for all you do to produce these and for allowing others to learn and enjoy all these amazing artists.
Hello and many thanks for your favourable response to the channel. And trying to reach students was a primary aim of the channel, as I taught for about 15 years and realised if I didn't widen their horizons not many others were even trying to. Now I can reach students in several far flung places I'm delighted to say, and the addition of yours is very rewarding.
Pete, I must say you have a lovely speaking voice. This was wonderful to listen to.
Maxfield Parrish has always been one of my favorites.
Thank you.
Cheers
Hello and many thanks for your appreciative comment The reference to my voice has made this old man blush, and although other viewers have been equally kind about it this has come as a great surprise to me. To me I just sound like me, if you see what I mean.
Thank you for sharing this mans incredible art. Well done.
Hello and thanks to you for your appreciation.
❤
Speechless and grateful to see such artistry and magnificence.
...and another comment! Thanks again and I'm delighted you have enjoyed the channel content.
Love this! I have two Parrish posters acquired in 1970 or so. Marvels of color, light, and form.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation.
I would describe Parrish landscapes by the noun, transcendence. He can transport you into the place of imagination. I love his highest mountain scenes from a castle or palace with the play of light on the water of a lake. His deep azure colors are amazing as they shade into the brightest blue.
I live in a real Parrish landscape on the Olympic peninsula in Washington state. The high snow covered mountains contrast to the deepest azure of bays and lakes. The evergreen forests add a verdant dark green to this amazing landscape. In addition the lavender fields in Sequim create an almost Van Gough brush of color to the scene in the summer. It is one of the most beautiful places on Earth but unknown to many in the country. Sad to think that Parrish never saw the Pacific Northwest according to my reading of his biography. What landscapes he might have painted!
What is amazing is that he lived in the time of the advent of modern painting. He obviously rejected it totally. I wonder how he will be viewed in future art history. Whether he will be appreciated or forgotten.
There is a parallel to Tolkien and Lewis. He, like them, never marched to the drum of the gestalt of their times. They all had a fascination with the Romantic view of the medieval past. I share that desire to transcend the often ugly, brutalism of this age and to frolic in the light of a Parrish landscape. Don't you!
Hello and many thanks for your comment and eulogy to this great artist and illustrator. And I envy you your geographical location. Here in the northwest of England we just get a lot of grey. Light is in short supply that's for sure. And I'm as sure as I can be about anything that he will not be forgotten.
Thank you!
I laughed when you mentioned the projector. We are still accusing each other of "cheating" for tracing in art... I do not think it will ever stop.
Hello, and I always come back to the same conclusion. If it was good enough for Caravaggio...
@@petebeard Where is the evidence that Carravaggio used an obscura? Because David Hockney said he did?
@@petebeard You do realise that tracing from a photo underneath a modern light projector (now usually digitally produced) and tracing from an obscura from life are two somewhat subtly different propositions? You do also (I hope) realise that tracing is not drawing, but tracing, which is why it's called 'tracing'. Drawing freehand is not 'tracing' except in the sense that hand and eye are in concert, which is why the skill of the result is usually that much more interesting. There is nowhere to go in tracing, the path of line is already dictated. Rubens and Rembrandt never used an obscura and they are all the better for it in my view. Obscuras in the earlier days often led to orthogonal mistakes anyway as I'm sure you're about to mention with the oversized hand in 'Supper at Emmaus' and suchlike. So using the obscura in the early days could really negate what could have been corrected by hand. Modern projectors distort visual phenomenon anyway, which has already been distorted by the camera lens that produced the print. Project if you must, but it's not true drawing, and drawing is part and parcel of the expressive content.
Of course it hasn't and can't now be proven but Hockney merely popularised what Roberta Lapucci had earlier maintained with considerable plausibility and evidence, and as both Leonardo and Michelangelo are both known to have at least experimented with the device it seems pretty likely to me. And I don't recall saying that tracing was the same as drawing. And I'm sure I'm not the first to point out that your patronising and pompous opinions aren't going to win you any friends. Please steer well clear of the channel and save me the trouble of making you invisible.
@@Lytton333 At the risk of feeding a troll, I am an artist. I love and understand art, and am excellent at both digital painting and pencil / ink on paper. Art has never been about technique or skill, except insomuch as without both I cannot bring my visions to life. If you want cheating and rules, perhaps professional sports are more your cup of tea.
My mother was Mr Parrish's private nurse in the mid 60's till his passing in 1966. I had the privilege to meet and speak with him briefly. at his home in Cornish which was adorned with many of his masterpieces.. He shared that his most important works were first created as a manuscript and that it could take him a year or do to finish. Thank you for creating this wonderful homage.
Hello and many thanks for your comment, and insight into the man and his work. I'm very glad you appreciate the video.
Another in my top five favorite artists. He was also brilliant in other fields and quite handsome. I got to see an exhibition and if you think the prints are awesome, wait til you see the originals.❣
Hello and sadly I doubt I'll ever see his work in the flesh, so to speak.
I had never heard of him until this; boy, have I been missing out. What a talent.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. Im pleased to have introduced you to this work of a true genius (and I don't mean me).
I love Maxfield Parrish but there were a lot of images here I had never seen. Thanks so much for all the work you put into your videos, they´re lovely!
Hello and my thanks for your appreciation of this video and the channel in general.
My FAVORITE artist! 🎨 Arabian Nights are a must see...
Thanks for the comment. I agree but my personal favourites are from the Knave of Hearts.
@@petebeard Good choice! 👏
I love your videos, makes me feel like I'm back in college. I love learning about these artists and seeing their works. Thank you so much for making these, Pete! God bless.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciative comment about the channel.
I think he is my most favorite artist! He did the sort of work that was prolific and multiple variety to keep one's imagination sharp!❤️🎨🖌️🖼️🎭📚👍
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I try to use the word 'genius' very sparingly, but in his case it's a statement of fact.
What a great artist. I wouldn't mind having a few "prints" of his genius paintings. Thank you so much for uploading and sharing this great mans paintings! 😀
Hello and i hink there are loads of them for sale online.
Wow Pete, love hearing about Maxfield Parrish's working methods. Thanks for the insight and portrait of this wonderful artist!
Hello and thanks. I wish I could have found out more about his methods but the sources I used tended to be more interested in his marital status and what he liked for breakfast unfortunately.
Thank you so much for introducing me to such an incredible artist. Perfection. Would have taken me a few more decades to discover him without your wonderful research… its very much appreciated.
Hello and I'm very pleased to hear I brought his work to your attention. Once seen never forgotten, I think.
Very much so. Perfection.
I was lucky enough to inherit my grandmother's Tanglewood Tales with those beautiful ilustrations! One of my precious possessions ❤
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. Now there's a book I'd like to see...
Your videos go a long way toward tearing down the hurtful divide artificially drawn between fine art and illustration. Parrish is but one example of artists who move fluidly between both worlds, and this piece makes that perfectly clear.
Hello and many thanks for your comment and insights about that art/illustration conundrum.
Excellent! I remember arguing with someone that said Hogarth wasn't a "real" artist, but a commercial illustrator.
As a life-long professional artist myself I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Our finest illustrators had first to be very good, and often great, artists. And the variety of Parrish's works, along with his willingness to grow and learn over time, mark him as almost incredibly creative by any measure.
And slop "artist" like Pollock made millions and great praise from the critics because he was able to make a mess by willy nilly dribbling different colors all over a canvas that a two year old could easily surpass in creatively portraying vomit....Art and critics should never be permitted to inhabit the same space....Parrish was a extremely gifted and well disciplined genius...
Pollock was not...🤮
@philipcallicoat3147 what Jackson did was throw the rule book out, stopped using brushes and effectively created a new avenue of application of medium. Some of his works today are proven authenticity by finding a cigarette butt generally at the bottom of a painting infused into the layers of paint. Tests for DNA proof. And to think he used to trade the general store keeper originals for a Sixpack of beer.
Indeed, he did delight the viewers eyes. The Knave Of Hearts is astonishing, the murals incrediblle, his illustrations lovely. Such an interesting video about an artist who produced so many impressive works.
Thank you for your exhaustive research, as always presented beautifully.
Thanks a lot - and it's good to know you are stepping out from the unsung series occasionally too.
When I was a college student in the 1960s, I had an attic room which had a dormer over the front porch of the house.
Hanging in the dormer was a calendar of Maxfield Parirish's paintings. It was produced as an advertisement by the Ahura-Mazda Lamp Corperation. When I moved on it was still hanging there. I wish I had it today.
Oh if only we knew the value of things from our youth...
Thank you for this. I learned quite a few things about Parrish.
He was one of my most favorite artists growing up. My Grandmother had an extensive library and some of the novels, thankfully were illustrated by him. I was, and still am impressed with his colors which have remarkably stood the test of time.
His study of architecture served him well. He was the reason I studied Mechanical Drawing.
His attention to detail was stellar. I can look at leaves on his trees and see He did not make random shapes, but rather studied & replicated the actual leaves & growth habit.
I could go on & on.
Great work Pete!👍😃
Hello again and many thanks as usual for your favourable comment. The first time I saw a print of Daybreak I was convinced it was the work of an old master. And as with many of those I find myself admiring his work immensely (how could you not?) but not actually liking it. I'm glad that as an old codger I've come to realise the difference between those two responses.
I was born in 1963, so yeah, I have seen some of Parrish's work,especially DAYBREAK in prints. He had to be the inspiration for the Hildebandt brother.
Hello, and it seems to me a long line of other later fantasy artists were just as influenced.
I saw a Parrish in an antique store in the 70's and have loved his work ever since, collecting several. Loved the romantic backdrops with curvy balustrades, columns, urns, pools, fountains, lakes, and magnificent trees in those ethereal blues and greens! Tried to think which is my favorite, but hard to pick just one - I think "The Land of Make-Believe" embodies my favorite elements. Thanks for the compilation. Would love to see one on R. Atkinson Fox as well.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment about this video. And tginking about it 'The Land of make-Believe' would make a good general description of his work. And thanks for the name Robert Atkinson Fox too. I had never heard of him and will investigate further.
I’ve long been a huge fan of his work. I currently have “Reverie” and “Ecstasy” hanging in my bedroom and one other whose title I don’t know. I have a giclee of “Daybreak” but it’s not framed yet. Edit: I looked it up and it’s called “Morning Spring.” Just beautiful and dreamy.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. I'm pleased you enjoyed the video about this great talent.
Funny I have Ecstasy print hanging in my bedroom to
Thank you for showing the evolution of Parrishes work. I am glad he continued to do commercial work after he became popular. It shows a humility, I think.
His landscapes are brilliant.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. He was undoubtedly a giant figure of 20th century art and illustration.
@pete beard You do good work, sir. If my art teacher had been a quarter as interested in his work as you are, then i would have aced Art History!
This was back in the 80's though, but I have always loved any form of history.
I've always liked the posters of Parrish, but had no idea he was so prolific and had produced so many elegant paintings. The murals are breathtaking! Thanks for reintroducing me to his extensive body of works. I enjoyed them all. 👍
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciative comment.
Excellent. A pleasure ! Thank you. My father, a taciturn Kansas farmer, subscribed to Saturday Evening Post, and when it published a Parish painting he would tell us "That's Maxfield Parish."
Hello and thanks a lot. That's a nice and amusing story.
He is my all time favorite!!! All his work is hand 😊done. All lettering by hand. His paintings are ethereal. Amazing artist! Thank you for this
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this video. Parrish made my job easy.
Such a wonderful delineation of Maxfield Parrish's works, which many of us have possessed or seen, put did not know the artist's name!!! Thank you for your work!!!
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation.
Such an amazing video love to hear about story like this. How are you doing?
Thank you for this lovely documentary. Parrish is incomparable.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. It's always nce to hear from those who actually paint. And as a former watercolourist myself I really like your work.
Thank you for this wonderful video! Two of the most mesmerizing pieces of art I’ve ever seen are Parrish’s Old King Cole mural in the St Regis Hotel bar in NYC and Tiffany’s glass mosaic mural of Parrish’s Dream Garden at the (now former) Curtis Publishing Company building lobby in Philadelphia. If you ever have the chance to see either of these large scale masterpieces in person, seize the moment!
Hello and I was sure I had replied to your comment but youtube disagrees so it was probably a senior moment. Anyway the upshot was to say that sadly seeing these masterpieces is probably not going to be something I achieve in this life. And almost certainly not in the next.
Such a talented artist, wow! Thank you Pete for your videos, and for my continued education. Wendy 😊
Another favorite of mine. His stylized way of depicting light and shade especially in foliage is really astonishing. Clearly informed by photography. And maybe more than that… There’s always something magical about this work. Not Just a technique… But the romantic sensibility of it.
Hello again and I'm glad you enjoyed this one.
Thank you for this! Parrish is without a doubt one of my most favorite artists among them. Some of which I could get lost in them for hours studying them!
Hello and quite a few people refer to getting lost in or drawn into his world. If only...
Thanks again. I'm a fan of your NC Wyeth video, so it's no surprise I'm also a MP fan! I remember seeing one of his originals somewhere a long time ago and just staring at the glazing. I couldn't believe a commercial illustrator was allowed to take the time on such a laborious technique, but I'm guessing he put in the hours and rotated between multiple canvases to keep the production line moving. Parrish was such a gifted draftsman (they all were, back then) but his layouts and feel for humor were really innovative. It's no wonder the masses couldn't get enough!
Hello and I'm glad you found another favourite on the channel. Sadly I've never seen (and probably never will) an original by either of these great painters.
Very interesting; thank you for introducing me to the artist Maxfield Parrish.
Hello and thanks for your comment. They don't come much better than Parrish.
Illustrator but very much an fine artist as well. He loved symmetry. I learn something with each episode. Thanks Pete.
He has a lot of fine art paysage paintings.
Hello and yes, he was one of those creatives who inhabited the territory between the two disciplines with great success. I can't think of a contemporary equivalent.
Congratulations 👏🎉 on this wonderful documentary.✨✨✨
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation.
An accomplished illustrator, so American, but still somehow stilted and overwrought. Love your work Pete.
Hello and thanks a lot. I have to say I fully agree with your appraisal of his work. I find myself full of admiration but struggle to actually engage with his paintings.
Thank you, Pete Beard. When I was in college I found a framed print of Dickie Boy in the dormitory trash and displayed it for decades.
I recall, happily, my astonishment upon discovering him while a college student. Thank you for this excellent video.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.
In the music video of Enya’s Caribbean Blue, it features some of the works of Maxfield Parrish as settings of the song. So if you want to listen to a lovely song and watch some of Mr. Parrish’s paintings come to life, you know where to go.
What a lovely retrospective of Maxfield Parrish’s work. I have always loved his style and the way he uses light and dark. I made a point of having a drink at the St. Regis hotel just so I could look at his painting of Old King Cole. The painting had to be cleaned because of all the smoke that had accumulated over the years from cigarettes and cigars. It was even more stunning afterwards as the colors became so much brighter. Thanks so much for putting this together, enjoyed it immensely and learned some new things.
Hello and thanks a lot for your appreciation of this video. Sadly I've never seen an original Parrish painting. The St. Regis is a bit of a hike for me.
@@petebeard LOL, Yes, it would be a bit of a hike for you, but New York has lovely museums and at least with this painting, you can enjoy a glass of wine while you study it. Also enjoyed your review of Edmond Dulac. Many years ago, I purchased the Rubaiyat only because I was so entranced by the illustrations. I even tried to copy one of the illustrations, but it was well beyond my artistic skills.
As I longtime subsciber I thought it was time to share a note of thanks. With each of your short jewel-like productions you manage to perfectly balance easy-to-listen-to narration, hand selected art relevant to the words, as well as an amazing scholarship on whatever artist you're featuring. It's sort of like sitting down with an amazing coffee table book every time.
Hello and your positive response to the channel is music to my ears. This has been and continues to be a real labour of love for me and comments such as yours make it even more worthwhle.
I would like to thank you for this video...an introduction to an artist that will no longer be a stranger.
I am now, officially, going to seek out his work to display and totally enjoy! I can sit and stare at each one of Mr. Parrishe's works for hours on end, and they transport me to another time and place quite easily...
Thank You!
Hello and you are very welcome. He was indoubtedly one of the greatest early 20th century illustrators, and yes they do transport the viewer into an altogether better version of the world.
I'm 64 now but when I was little my mother would bring me old books to read. This was in the early to mid 60s. I had a pair that were about famous fairy tales etc they had been illustrated by Parrish. They were such beautiful paintings I have never forgotten them
Hello and thanks for the comment. Obviously I'm an admirer of Parrish's work in general, but for me it is those light comic fairy tale images that I feel an affinity for.
You hit the bulls eye for me with this one Pete. Parrish is my favourite American artist. I've enjoyed cocktails in Maxfield's bar on several occasions whilst admiring the Pied Piper mural. A very enjoyable way to spend an evening. Thanks for all of your hard work.
Hello again and thanks as usual. I'm extremely envious that you could sit there staring at Parrish's original. Never seen one in the flesh, so to speak.
@@petebeard I used to go to silicon valley a lot and in 1993 some colleagues took me to see some Parrish pictures in San Francisco. First we went to the Alma Gilbert Gallery in Burlingame and saw some originals that were for sale! The proprietor was gracious and told us all about them ( even though we clearly could not afford to by any of them). She had one called Puss in Boots that had been owned by Randolf Hurst. The least typical Parrish that we saw was just of trees and was in the lobby of the Stanford Court Hotel. It was also quite small. A memorable day for me.
Thank you for the video, very well narrated, nicely done. But I guess I am just a sucker for the sound of the male British accent.
But ,did you know that the incomparable musical group The Moody Blues used an altered version of Maxfield Parrish's Daybreak as an album cover for their 1983 The Present?
Wonderful Album, and beautiful front cover.
The boy is wearing clothing, and the coior scheme is in blue and yellow. These two colors are Justin Haywards favorites.
Justin Hayward, the most well known of these very talented musicians, the lead guitarist and singer, songwriter of the group, you probably know that he wrote and sung "Nights in White Satin"one of their most well known songs. Thank you very much Mr Beard for this WONDERFUL video! I look forward to seeing more.😺
Hello to you and many thanks for your appreciation. Sadly I can take no credit for my vocal chords or accent but I'm always up for a bit of flattery. And yes I'm aware of that pastiche cover . I'll be featuring it in my video about the history of illustrated album covers (if I ever finish it - what an epic). And for my sins a long time ago I was in a rock covers band, and that tune was always popular with our admittedly tiny audiences. I hope you continue to enjoy the content.
I’m so delighted to see this… I have adored Maxfield Parrish since my teenage years, but, sadly, he is no longer popular in America. It’s lovely to see this retrospective and learn a little bit about him and his work. Thank you!
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of the video.
Fantastic video, my wife and I received an antique print of his painting Reveries when we were engaged. It is now amongst many other antiques in the living room of our Victorian home. Thank you for making this video.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. Parrish does seem to resonate with an immense number of people. And so he should.
Had no idea he was this fantastic.
Lovely work, cheers Pete.
Hello again and Im glad the video deepened your appreciation. For me it's the book illustrations that really draw me in.
Absolutely fantastic, some of the most beautiful pics I have ever seen. Thank you.
Hello and thanks for the appreciation. I see you are a writer of fantasy so you might be interested in my video 'Origins of Fantasy Art' - if you haven't already seen it.
Enjoyable presentation: the pacing, illustrations and the quiet music. Your soothing voice. Perfect for my just waking into the world this morning.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of the video. I hope you'll discover more on the chanel that you find of interest too.
I owned a Parrish poster back in the early 70s and have loved his work ever since. I envy these people who have inherited original prints!
Hello and thanks for the comment. I envy those who have sat at one of those bars in the USA, drinking and admiring his murals. There really is no equivalent in the UK.
Very well done. From a modest American with a lithograph of Daybreak. Actually I quite enjoy his work and growing up in Philadelphia I have been to the Curtis Building. Another connection to Parrish - my father was the Director of the Pennsylvania Academy in the 1970s.
Hello and thanks alot. I'm glad you enjoyed this video.
Beautiful narration
Hello and thanks a lot for the appreciation.
One of my all time favorite artists. I have had the Ecstasy painting in my house since the 70's also. His ability to portray light is incredible.
Hello and thanks for the comment. And judging by the comments of others it seems it's that ability to capture light and punch a hole into 2D space that resonates with most.
Thank you Pete Beard for this utterly satisfying video of Maxfield Parris - it delights the eye indeed, and conjures up nothing but happy memories ( real and imagined) - I hope it was a pleasure to put together, too. Your musical selections as background are just right as accompaniment, occasionally surfacing to remind : gilding the lily ~
Thank you very much!
Hi again and I'm very pleased you enjoyed this. It seems Mr. Parrish exerts a powerful hold on his viewers, and has that knack for drawing them into his imaginary world. What a talent.
I grew up near Cornish, NH and my mother collected Parish lithographs. I have them of most of the paintings you show. Our copy of Daybreak is probably 3 feet wide. My mother always claimed that some of the frames we made by Parish as well. I must have over 20 lithographs and 1 or 2 books. Thanks for the memories.
Hello and many thanks for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
The lush paintings as well as the homely brogue of the narrator makes this a very pleasant documentary.
Hello and many thanks for your appreciation of this video. I hope you'll find more of interest on the channel.
Thank you for this. I will never forget seeing a huge exhibition of his work at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, NY. Took my breath away. Some of the paintings took up an entire wall. Seeing it in person is a must if you ever have the chance.
Hello, and that has long been on my bucket list. In the UK we are very bad at remembering our illustrators (altjough not our artists such as they are). Seeing original artwork is a rare opportunity.
Maxfield Parrish was always one of my favorites! Thanks for the video
Hello and youre more than welcome. Thanks for the appreciation.
Thank you, every time I listen you take me out of my life on a lovely journey in art
Hello and thanks for your positive comment about the channel. It's greatly appreciated.
The childhood work of Parrish is very humbling. Thank you for this video Pete! Really enjoying it.
Hello and thanks a lot for the comment.
Always time well spent. Thank you once again for your insights!
Hello and I'm very pleased you enjoyed the video. Thanks a lot for the favourable comment.
I absolutely LOVE Parrish! Thank you for covering some facts about him.
Hello and thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you Peter ... This Was SPLENDID .. 👏❤️👏Bravo
Hello and many thanks for your enthusiastic response to the video.
I have collected his work since 1971. He continues to be my favorite artist.
Hello and thanks a lot for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Love this art work they’re so amazing. How are you doing?
Wonderful documentary, as always! Thank you so much!😃❤️
Hello and thanks for the positive comment.
Hello Pete!, thank you for your new video!!!
Hello and your ongoing appreciation is very welcome.
Beautifully done! This presentation was a work of art in itself. Bravo!!!
Hello and thanks a lot for the compliment. I think Parrish did most of the hard work...